Shower Pan and Drain Systems

ABSTRACT

Shower pan and drain systems are disclosed which accommodate all users. The system includes a removable trench cover which serves to both provide an easy ramp into the shower area, but also covers an internal channel system designed to direct water to a primary drain portion.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/094,770, filed on Dec. 19, 2014, the contents which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety into this disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Subject Disclosure

The present subject disclosure relates to a drain system. In particular, the present subject disclosure relates to a shower pan with three integral drain systems in one, for providing efficient drainage while meeting the Federal Regulated Standards for ADA Compliance and ANSI 117 Accessibility.

2. Background of the Subject Disclosure

Conventional shower systems are generally designed to direct water into a drain hole. Part of this design is to slope and direct water from all sides of the shower area into the drain hole, which tends to be the deepest portion of the shower system.

Such conventional shower systems are not particularly convenient for persons with disabilities, since the slopes of the interior floor of the showers can be more severe than what is allowed in meeting Federal and State regulations. To meet these standards, shower systems have been designed with a front forward trench drain system with minimum slope design. However, these existing systems force water towards the opening, which has a tendency to overwhelm the drain system. This results in water overrunning the drain and out of the containment area, creating safety concerns due to slippage, and poor sanitation.

SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

The present subject disclosure provides a shower pan and a drain system that is configured to completely evacuate water within the shower pan and away from the front of the shower, while meeting ADA compliance and accessibility standards.

In one exemplary embodiment, the present subject disclosure provides a drain system for a shower, including a shower pan having a substantially flat upper surface threshold, a primary drain formed into a substantially flat lower surface, and a plurality of directional drain channels formed into the substantially flat upper surface and a trench for directing a fluid towards the primary drain.

In another exemplary embodiment, the present subject disclosure provides a shower pan including a substantially flat rectangular base having a primary drain and a plurality of directional drain channels radiating outwardly from the primary drain, three vertical walls extending at perpendicular angles to a corresponding three sides of the rectangular base, and a trench positioned at a fourth side of the rectangular base having no adjacent vertical walls, wherein the trench extends the entire length of the fourth side, and wherein one or more of the directional drain channels direct fluid away from the trench and towards the primary drain.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the subject disclosure provides a drainage system including a substantially flat shower pan adapted to be placed in a shower area, the substantially flat shower pan having a primary drain, a plurality of directional drain channels formed into the substantially flat shower pan, wherein each of the plurality of directional drain channels radiates outwardly from the primary drain, and a trench positioned towards a front end of the substantially flat shower pan, wherein one or more of the directional drain channels directs fluid away from the trench and towards the primary drain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a shower pan, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a shower pan with a trench cover removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of a shower pan, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a plan view of a shower pan with a trench cover removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIGS. 5A and 5B depict sectional and exploded frontal views of a shower pan, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict the alignment of the trench cover in the trench, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts a front view of a shower pan, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT DISCLOSURE

The present subject disclosure discloses a novel shower pan and drain system including a flat surface and numerous drain channels. The disclosed embodiments as configured to completely evacuate water within the shower pan and away from the front of the shower, while meeting ADA compliance and accessibility standards.

Embodiments disclosed herein depict shower pans having a level surface and a plurality of directional drain channels for directing water towards a primary drain. The shower pans may be barrier-free, and may have a low zero-tolerance threshold at the front of the system to allow easy and safe access into a shower area. Drain systems disclosed herein may allow for 85% of the water circulation in the shower to be directed towards the primary drain. The systems may also include a trench or trough to capture any residual water that works its way forward, and relief channels for redirecting the captured water back towards the primary drain. These three components, i.e. the flat surface/base with the primary drain, the directional drain channels, and the front trench/trough, are combined to provide a directional flow and unique drainage system for completely containing and evacuating the water in the shower, and virtually eliminating water escaping to the room floor or area outside the shower. For the purposes of the present subject disclosure, the words “trench” and “trough” mean the same thing and may be interchangeable.

The disclosed components may be made from an acrylic-based solid surface material that is non-porous and, therefore, impervious to mold, mildew, and other microbial growth. The systems described herein may be designed for showers in hospitals, labs, college dorms, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities. Consequently, the anti-microbial features help in low maintenance and other health-related aspects.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a shower pan and drain system 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. System 100 includes a shower pan 110, a primary drain 112, a plurality of directional drain channels 114, a plurality of trench relief channels 115, vertical walls 116, a threshold 118, and a trench or trough cover 130 (hereinafter referred to as trench cover”) covering a trench or trough (element 120 in FIG. 2, hereinafter referred to as a “trench”). The broken lines show the general contour of shower pan 110 and directional drain channels 114. Directional channels 114 and trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from all portions of surface of shower pan 110 to primary drain 112. Specifically, trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from a trench (covered by trench cover 130) towards primary drain 112. Channels 114 and 115 direct fluid towards primary drain 112 by virtue of being sloped in a direction towards primary drain 112.

The location of primary drain 112 is flexible. In other words, the directional channels 114-115 and trench 120 may be arranged in any manner that channels fluid such as water towards primary drain 112. For example, during manufacture, the bottom of the molded shower pan may be thermoformed at a slope that allows effective drainage no matter where the primary drain is located, and to within a minimal distance of a perimeter of the primary drain. Therefore, the combinations of the directional channels, trench, and primary drain may be customized to the particular shower area it is intended to be installed in. For example, filler material may be inserted underneath a bottom surface of the shower pan to fit into a particular shower area or floor, while maintaining a flow of fluid towards the primary drain of the shower area. Moreover, any number of directional and relief channels may be used without compromising the integrity of the structure or its function, as known to one having ordinary skill in the art, so long as the channels are narrow enough to prevent toes, wheels of assist devices, or other potential objects to become lodged into them, while remaining wide enough to allow the relatively easy passage of water without creating static interference for such flow.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a system 100 including a shower pan 110 with a trench cover 130 removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. Similar to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, system 100 includes a shower pan 110, a primary drain 112, a plurality of directional drain channels 114, a plurality of trench relief channels 115, vertical walls 116, a threshold 118, and a trench 120 with a trench cover removed. Trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from trench 120 towards primary drain 112. Channels 114 and 115 direct fluid towards primary drain 112 by virtue of being sloped in a direction towards primary drain 112. Analogously, the depth of trench 120 is generally less than the depth of trench relief channels 115, thereby allowing for the efficient flow of fluid from trench 120 through channels 115 adjacent trench 120 and into primary drain 112.

In addition, the base of trench 120 includes magnets 122 and support braces 124 that mate with or couple to corresponding magnets and braces on a trench cover 130, as further shown with respect to FIGS. 4-6. The trench 120 is positioned towards an open end of shower pan 110, to allow for smooth entry and exit into the shower area by a person operating a motion assist device. For easy removal and cleaning of trench 120, removable cover 130 is reversibly secured into place with magnets 122 or other similar non-permanent mechanisms, as evident to one having ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of a drain system 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. System 100 includes a shower pan 110, a primary drain 112, a plurality of directional drain channels 114, a plurality of trench relief channels 115, vertical walls 116, a threshold 118, and a trench cover 130 covering a trench. The broken lines show the general contour of shower pan 110 and directional drain channels 114. Directional channels 114 and trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from all portions of surface of shower pan 110 to primary drain 112. Specifically, trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from a trench (covered by trench cover 130) towards primary drain 112. Channels 114 and 115 direct fluid towards primary drain 112 by virtue of being sloped in a direction towards primary drain 112. Moreover, the location of primary drain 112 is flexible, and directional channels 114-115 and trench 120 may be arranged in any manner that collects and channels fluid such as water towards primary drain 112, and any number of directional and relief channels may be used without compromising the integrity of the structure or its function, as known to one having ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, although the components depicted herein are rectangular or square, they may be molded into any shape depending on the particular shower area intended for installation, by virtue of being made of a thermo-formable acrylic material.

FIG. 4 depicts a plan view of a shower base with a trench cover removed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. Similar to previously-depicted embodiments, the figure depicts a shower pan 110, a primary drain 112, a plurality of directional drain channels 114, a plurality of trench relief channels 115, vertical walls 116, a threshold 118, and a trench 120 with a trench cover 130 removed. As depicted, trench relief channels 115 direct fluid from trench 120 towards primary drain 112. A view of the bottom surface of trench cover 130 is depicted, showing magnets 132 and female support braces 134 that mate with or couple to corresponding magnets 122 and male support braces 124 that are formed as part of or added to trench 120. Magnets 122 embedded in the base portion of trench 120, along with magnets 124 embedded in trench cover 130, act to securely hold the trench cover in place while still allowing the cover to be removed. Removable cover 130 is reversibly secured into place with magnets 122-124 or other similar non-permanent mechanisms, in combination with the oblong interlocking support braces 124 and 134, which assist the magnets 122-132 in holding trench cover 130 in place, and facilitating easy removal, disassembly, and cleaning of trench 120. Moreover, a top surface of trench cover 130 is the same height as a threshold 118 of shower pan 110 when trench cover 130 is attached, thereby providing a smooth and flat surface for a motion assist device entering the shower area via threshold 118.

FIGS. 5A and 5B depict sectional and exploded frontal views of a shower base, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. Referring to FIG. 5A, a shower pan 110 includes vertical walls 116, a lip 117 that facilitates placement of shower pan 110 into a shower area, a trench 120, and a trench cover 130. Trench cover 130 is coupled to trench 120 via a combination of magnets 122 and male support braces 124 (attached to the trench), and magnets 132 and female support braces 134 (attached to trench cover 130). Removable cover 130 may be reversibly secured into place with other similar non-permanent mechanisms, enabling easy removal, disassembly, and cleaning of trench 120. FIG. 5B shows an exploded view with trench cover 130 removed from trench 120.

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict the alignment of the trench cover on the front trench, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6A, a shower pan 110 includes a primary drain 112, trench relief channels 115, vertical walls 116, and a trench 120 covered with a trench cover 130. Referring to the zoomed-in view depicted in FIG. 6B, trench cover 130 is coupled to trench 120 via a combination of magnets 132 and 122, and support braces 124. The combination of trench 120 and trench relief channels 115 direct excess fluid from trench 120 towards primary drain 112.

FIG. 7 depicts a front view of a shower pan 110, according to an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure. As described herein, the front area of shower pan 110 may be barrier-free, and may have a low zero-tolerance threshold 118 at the front of the system to allow easy and safe access into a shower area, with vertical walls 116 providing an enclosure for the rest of the shower area. Moreover, although the components depicted herein are rectangular or square, they may be molded into any shape depending on the particular shower area intended for installation, by virtue of being made of a thermo-formable acrylic material.

The foregoing disclosure of the exemplary embodiments of the present subject disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the subject disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the subject disclosure is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.

Further, in describing representative embodiments of the present subject disclosure, the specification may have presented the method and/or process of the present subject disclosure as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of the present subject disclosure should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present subject disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A drain system for a shower, the system comprising: a shower pan having a substantially flat upper surface; a primary drain formed into the substantially flat upper surface; and a plurality of directional drain channels formed into the substantially flat upper surface for directing a fluid towards the primary drain.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a trench positioned towards a front threshold of the shower pan.
 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of trench relief channels formed into the substantially flat upper surface for directing a fluid towards the primary drain.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the trench has a depth that is less than a depth of the plurality of trench relief channels.
 5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a trench cover for covering the trench.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the trench cover is removable and attached to the trench.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the trench cover is removable and attached to the trench via any combination of magnets and interlocking support braces.
 8. The system of claim 2, wherein a top surface of the trench cover is the same height as the substantially flat upper surface, thereby providing a smooth and flat surface for a motion assist device entering the shower area via the front threshold.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the shower pan is manufactured from an acrylic-based solid surface material that is non-porous and impervious to microbial and fungal growth.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of directional drain channels are sloped in a direction towards the primary drain, with a depth of a distal end of each directional drain channel being less than a depth of the primary drain.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the primary drain may be formed anywhere into the substantially flat upper surface, and wherein the plurality of directional drain channels may be formed into the substantially flat surface in any configuration that allows for the fluid to be directed towards the primary drain.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fluid is directed to within a minimal distance of a perimeter of the primary drain.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein a filler material may be inserted underneath a bottom surface of the shower pan to fit into a particular shower area while maintaining a flow of the fluid towards a primary drain of the shower area.
 14. A shower pan, comprising: a substantially flat rectangular base having a primary drain and a plurality of directional drain channels radiating outwardly from the primary drain; three vertical walls extending at perpendicular angles to a corresponding three sides of the rectangular base; and a trench positioned at a fourth side of the rectangular base having no adjacent vertical walls; wherein the trench extends the entire length of the fourth side, and wherein one or more of the directional channels direct fluid away from the trench and towards the primary drain.
 15. The shower pan of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of directional drain channels has a depth that is graded to direct fluid from an outward end of the channel towards the primary drain.
 16. The shower pan of claim 14, wherein the trench is adapted to accommodate a cover.
 17. The shower pan of claim 16, wherein a top surface of the cover is of the same height as a threshold of the substantially flat rectangular base.
 18. The shower pan of claim 16, wherein the trench and the cover reversibly engage via one or more magnets.
 19. A drainage system, comprising: a substantially flat shower pan adapted to be placed in a shower area, the substantially flat shower pan having a primary drain; a plurality of directional drain channels formed into the substantially flat shower pan, wherein each of the plurality of directional drain channels radiates outwardly from the primary drain; and a trench positioned towards a front end of the substantially flat shower pan; wherein one or more of the directional drain channels directs fluid away from the trench and towards the primary drain.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a vertical wall extending from a portion of the outer edge of the flat shower pan, the vertical wall including a lip configured to mate with an edge of the shower area. 